BJA Sponsors Jazz at Bromo Arts District “Art Walk” Sept. 23
On June 24, the new Bromo Arts & Entertainment District, located downtown Baltimore, held its first “Art Walk” event, ably organized by its director, Emily Breiter, and the Baltimore Jazz Alliance was pleased to sponsor a jazz concert by Clarence Ward III and his band, Dat Feel Good, at the Eubie Blake Center.
A second Art Walk event is slated for Thursday, Sept. 23rd, from 5 to 9 pm, with over 20 participating organizations. Again, the Baltimore Jazz Alliance is sponsoring a jazz performance, by the Terry Koger Quintet, at Current Space, 421 N. Howard Street, from 6 pm to 9 pm. The entire Art Walk event is free, but visitors should register at https://www.bromodistrict.org/ to get event updates and special discounts.
As per its website, “The Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District was established in 2012 to realize the area’s potential as a thriving downtown arts neighborhood.” The District is a 117-acre area on the west side of downtown from Baltimore Street up Park Avenue, Howard Street and Eutaw Street to the junction of Read Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. It encompasses a number of visual and performing arts venues. The Bromo A&E District seeks to support artists and arts organizations that are located within the district, aiming to help them attain economic viability. They also partner with other organizations in and around Baltimore who can bring resources to their arts and entertainment mission.
On the evening of June 24, from 5 to 8 pm, over 200 people visited theaters, galleries, studios, and more that were open to the public for a free, art-filled evening of performances and exhibitions. An “ART WALK MAP” allowed visitors to create a self-curated tour of the 15 participating artistic groups.
Besides the jazz performance at Eubie Blake Center, participants included Arena Players, who presented scenes from their gospel musical, Cleveland; the Gallery at Four Ten Lofts, with creative expression via fabric, sound, photography, and a live song production; The Hippodrome Theater, offering short, guided tours; Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Gallery exhibit and open conversations with artist Carol Mauer; “Meridian Prologue,” an exhibition of Baltimore-area pandemic graduates & Open Studios at Current Space, and several other art galleries. The Keur Khaleyi Dance Troup gave an exciting performance at Eubie Blake Center during the jazz band breaks.
The Baltimore Jazz Alliance expects to continue partnering with the Bromo Arts District for future events, and hopes that participant arts organizations will reach out to us for jazz at their own individual events. It’s an exciting prospect – for the BJA, and for art- and music-loving Baltimoreans.
–by Liz Fixsen. Liz is a dedicated fan of jazz in Baltimore, for many years a familiar presence at the clubs and jam sessions, a member of the BJA board, and a writer and editor for the BJA newsletter A jazz vocalist and pianist, she occasionally performs at Baltimore-area venues and for private events.